Dynamics study based on domain wall reorientation and translation in tetragonal ferroelectric/ferroelastic polycrystals

Abstract

Abstract Domain dynamics have been investigated for lead zirconate titanate, using a finite element method (FEM) approach. Both reorientation and translation motions of 90° domain walls (DWs) were considered, following our previous work on observations of DW motion by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. For incorporating the DW motion in the FEM, we introduced a dynamic model describing the motion, subjected to threshold energies for reorientation and a potential energy for translation. Volume fractions of different-angle domains vary as the DW moves, comparing these energies with applied external field strength. The description by the threshold energy carries irreversible poling and hysteresis phenomena. Single domain parameters and threshold/potential energies were extracted by fitting FEM calculations to experimental D–E hysteresis and S–E butterfly curves. This approach enabled us, for the first time, to extract the intrinsic and dynamic information of the DW motions, and the reproduction of full hysteresis and butterfly curves.